Canadians are taking action to fight climate change and deliver clean air and a strong economy. Reducing pollution from the transportation sector is critical to Canada achieving its climate targets. That's why the Government of Canada is making it easier for Canadians to purchase, charge and drive electric vehicles (EVs) in British Columbia and across the country.
Today, Patrick Weiler, Member of Parliament for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, announced a $100,000 investment in the Village of Pemberton to install two EV fast chargers in Pemberton's downtown core.
Funded through Canada's Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP), all chargers will be available to Permbertonians by July 2023.
The project will also receive $148,900 from the Village of Pemberton through the Canada Community-Building Fund and $50,000 from the Province of British Columbia through the CleanBC Go Electric Program, bringing the total project cost to $298,900.
Since 2016, the Government of Canada has invested a historic $1 billion to make EVs more affordable and chargers more accessible for Canadians. These investments are supporting the establishment of a coast-to-coast network of chargers in local areas where Canadians live, work and play, while federal rebates of up to $5,000 are helping more Canadians make the switch to an EV.
Budget 2022 delivered an additional $1.7 billion to extend the government's purchase incentive program until March 2025 and to expand the types of vehicle models eligible under the program, which would include more vans, trucks and SUVs.
The Government of Canada is working toward the deployment of 50,000 new chargers within Canada's network. This is supported through an investment of $400 million to extend the ZEVIP to March 2027, along with $500 million in investments from the Canada Infrastructure Bank for large-scale ZEV charging and refuelling infrastructure that is revenue-generating and in the public interest.
These investments are yet another step in reaching Canada's target of ensuring all new passenger vehicles sold in Canada are zero-emission by 2035. And just like investments in everything from clean technology to nature protection, today's announcement is part of achieving Canada's ambitious climate change goals to build a cleaner, healthier and affordable future for all Canadians.
